Message in a Bottle
by Umi Hinode
Summary: A trip to the beach with the girl she loved should have been perfect, but forgotten feelings begin to resurface when she least expects it. [part two of the sun rises, though it can be read separately.]


Kousaka Honoka was no stranger to having incredibly weird, incomprehensible dreams, but the one she had experienced the night before was something new.

Ever since the two had started dating, Umi had become a constant in her dreams, akin to her role in her life. Well, Umi had always been a constant, but she now showed up more than anyone else, Kotori included, and her presence was a soothing force, no matter the situation. She was the calm to Honoka's storm in dreams and reality. If Honoka and Kotori had gotten themselves mixed up in something, there was Umi, chastising them yet doing her best to help.

Her role this time, however, was completely different.

Everything had started off relatively normal. The now third years had decided to go to the beach for their last summer vacation together before graduation. It was a beautiful day; Honoka could almost feel the summer heat as she stood where the sand and water met, letting the minuscule waves flow over her bare feet. On one side of her stood Umi, and on the other, Kotori, the three hand in hand, calmly, until Honoka dragged them both behind her into the ocean, the three swimming out farther. Kotori magically had a beach ball in hand - dream logic; Honoka wasn't going to question it - and she tossed it in Honoka's direction, hitting her straight in the face and starting perhaps their most competitive game of beach volleyball yet. Honoka dove forward attempting to reach the ball as Umi served it to her, and the ball fell just beyond her grasp, leaving her to sink beneath the surface.

She knew how to swim, but for some reason, she couldn't pull herself back up. She was stuck, grasping for the reflections of Umi and Kotori that were so close, yet so far. It was as if neither of them had realized that she had begun to drown; they just carried on without her.

 _Umi-chan, please._ The words caught on her tongue despite her wanting to scream out.

And then, just like that, she woke up. She'd never know if she had drowned or if she had been rescued, and she supposed it didn't matter; after all, it was just a dream. She couldn't deny that something about it was strange, however.

Fortunately, she knew just the person to talk to about it.

Tojo Nozomi could be found working diligently at Kanda Shrine each and every morning, and today was no exception. Honoka admired her passion for the shrine, and how she took time out of her day to work despite her duties as a university student. Honoka beamed as Nozomi slowly came into view as she made her way up the steps. She swore that every time she saw Nozomi she looked older, wiser. No wonder she felt most comfortable talking to her.

"Nozomi-chan!" Honoka announced her presence as she reached the top of the stairs. Startled, Nozomi faced her, her shock fading into a warm smile.

"Honoka-chan," she greeted, setting her broom aside accepting Honoka with open arms. Against Honoka's hair she asked, "What are you doing here?"

Honoka pulled away and giggled nervously. "If it isn't too much to ask...could you do a reading for me?"

Nozomi nodded. "Follow me."

Honoka obeyed, following her to the building behind the shrine. Nozomi slid the door open, allowing Honoka to enter first, mindfully removing her shoes first. The room was empty save for a kotatsu, the table bare save for Nozomi's tarot cards. Honoka smiled upon seeing them. Nozomi never changed. The older girl sat at one end of the table and directed Honoka to sit at the other as she shuffled her cards, laying them face down in front of her in different decks. She told Honoka to pull from the first deck, and Honoka hesitated before pulling her card, setting it in front of her.

"The High Priestess," was all Nozomi said.

"The High Priestess?" Honoka echoed, staring at the card in wonder. Looking up at Nozomi she asked, "What does that mean?"

"It symbolizes the human unconsciousness," Nozomi explained. "It could just be acknowledging your emotions...or you could be hiding something."

Honoka laughed in disbelief. "What would I have to hide?"

Nozomi smiled, though it was nowhere near the pleasant smile Honoka had been greeted with. Cautiously, she slid the second deck over to Honoka. "Shuffle those, please."

Honoka complied before giving the cards back to Nozomi, who divided the cards into three piles. "Flip the first card from each pile," Nozomi said. One by one, Honoka turned the cards over, carefully studying them. The first was upside down, and she moved to turn it, though she stopped when she noticed Nozomi shaking her head. The card depicted five men, each holding a stick and attacking one another. Honoka's attention lingered on it for a moment before moving to the second card. She gulped as she studied it, the card portraying a man praying atop a tomb, swords hanging above his head. Eager to move on the final card, she turned to it, and the scene was far more pleasant than the previous cards, with one girl giving another a cup of flowers as they were surrounded by others.

"Five of wands reversed, four of swords, and six of cups," Nozomi named each card, silent as she studied each one for herself. "You're avoiding something, just as I thought," she said with a hint of a smile. Honoka froze. "Specifically, you're clinging to something from the past. Nostalgia, maybe?"

Honoka shrugged, giggling to herself in an attempt to lighten the situation. "Maybe?"

"You have happy memories, but something's bothering you," Nozomi continued. "Care to explain?"

Honoka shrunk in her seat. "There really isn't anything to explain..."

"The cards never lie," Nozomi said gently. "You know you can talk to me, Honoka-chan. Didn't you come to me for help?"

"I had a really weird dream last night," Honoka replied, intertwining her fingers in front of her. "I was drowning, and Umi-chan just carried on as if it wasn't happening."

Nozomi hummed in thought, her eyes falling to the cards once more. Before she could give an answer, Honoka stood up, clutching her schoolbag. "It's probably nothing. I should get going."

"Honoka-chan!" Nozomi called after her, speaking to her back as she hesitated, remaining in the doorway. "Be aware of how you come across to others."

Honoka said nothing as she stepped outside, sliding the door shut behind her. She dug through her bag, searching for her phone only to yelp when she saw what time it was. It wasn't uncommon for her to be late to school, but as the student council president, she had far too many responsibilities to afford to be late. Fortunately, the school wasn't too far from the shrine, though she still took off running down the stairs. When she made it to the student council room, she almost collapsed in the doorway, completely out of breath. Kotori and Umi looked up, startled by the sudden noise.

"There you are!" Kotori exclaimed, grinning as she saw her.

Umi, unfortunately, wasn't as kind. "You're late. Again."

Honoka ran a hand through her hair. "I'm sorry..."

"Sit down," Umi muttered as she stapled a stack of papers together before passing them along to Kotori. "We have a lot we need to get done before break starts."

Defeated, Honoka trudged from the doorway to her seat in between the two, and she pressed her head against the desk. "Sorry," she repeated. "I wanted to talk to Nozomi-chan about something."

Kotori blinked. "Nozomi-chan? About what?"

"I had this really weird dream last night."

Umi silently gestured towards the stack of papers in front of her.

Honoka sighed as she reached for the first paper. "Umi-chan, you're so harsh."

"Someone has to be around here," Umi replied, though she reached over, pressing a quick kiss to Honoka's cheek. Honoka's face flushed, and Umi's turned completely red as she slumped back in her seat. "I-I'm sorry! I wasn't even thinking. How shameless..."

Honoka reassured her with a smile. "You're too hard on yourself. Besides, I like that side of you."

Now it was Umi's turn to bury her head in the desk. Kotori just giggled beside the two as she resumed her work, Honoka and Umi following suit. Together the three worked diligently until the bell rung, sending them off to their first class of the day, leaving the student council room, and Honoka's worries, behind, just like that. Honoka walked in between her friends, taking them both by the hand, still somewhat uneasy over her dream. She knew it was only a dream, but Nozomi's warning echoed in her mind.

 _Be aware of how you come across to others._

Honoka wouldn't place it right away, being far too distracted by Umi and Kotori's presence, but somewhere in the back of her mind was insecurity and doubt that she had buried for months.

 _"I'm sorry if I was bothering you. I just get so excited every time you start a new song. I want to support you any way I can, though that isn't really much..."_

Umi had, understandably, been furious with her. _"Don't say that! You do so much for me and the rest of μ's. You're not a burden like you think you are."_

She couldn't quite pinpoint where it had started, but so much had occurred during μ's' run that left her, the leader, unhappy with herself. The prime example was Kotori, and how Honoka hadn't realized how much pain she was in over having to choose between her friends and her future. If she hadn't been so distracted, she could have helped Kotori and helped put her mind at ease, as Kotori had wanted. Then there was the concert for the school festival, where she had overworked herself to the point of ruining the concert, and caused μ's to drop out of the Love Live. She couldn't help but become more conscious of her actions following this, hoping to lead her friends with a smile on her face. For the most part, she had. μ's won the following Love Live, performed the greatest concert for all school idols alongside A-RISE and dozens of other groups, and held their final concert. It had all been worth it, and Honoka couldn't have been prouder.

She wasn't constantly plagued by these negative thoughts, but every once and a while, they would resurface, and it was all her fault. Umi had desperately tried to help her as she held her in her arms that afternoon all those months ago, and she had completely changed the subject, not wanting to bother Umi with her worries. Umi could have eased Honoka's self-doubt, or at least some of it, but Honoka had been too careless. She could only continue to bottle her feelings up, without even realizing it herself. When she had asked Nozomi what she would have to hide, she wasn't lying, for now she didn't see a problem at all, and because she didn't, neither did anyone else. She would continue forward with a smile on her face.

"Good afternoon!" She exclaimed as she flung the door to the Idol Study Club room open, only to be greeted by several questioning faces.

"You're awfully energetic today," Maki commented, twirling a strand of hair in between her fingers. Beside her, Hanayo giggled, and Rin shot her fist up into the air, earning a sigh from Maki.

"Let's start practice!" Rin declared, and across the table, Yukiho practically became a mirror image of Maki as Alisa and the newest additions to club raised their fists in response, rushing to follow Rin out of the room, almost shoving Honoka and company out of the way. Honoka wasted no time rushing after them, and after exchanging shrugs, Umi and Kotori did the same, eventually followed by Hanayo and Maki.

Despite being far less strange than it had been in the beginning, there was something about seeing Rin lead the group that almost felt wrong. She had no issues with Hanayo's choice, of course - Rin was doing great and growing into the role - but a part of her still envisioned the practices from before. Eli's harsh dance lessons, Nico forcing everyone to do the Nico-Nico-Nii as part of their "image training", and Nozomi filming them "for their PVs." Memories of μ's were everywhere, and she couldn't help but reflect on the time they had spent together, especially in this new vulnerable state.

 _Be aware of how you come across to others._

She couldn't afford to get emotional now. What mattered was that the remaining second and third years were continuing on as idols, and they had new blood to carry the torch once they were gone. Honoka couldn't help but smile as she watched each of them; Rin trying her hardest to not dance along as she directed the group, Hanayo shining bright as the center, Maki finally managing a smile, and Yukiho and Alisa putting in 110% to reach their goal.

"Are you alright?"

Before she knew it, practice was over, and Umi was sitting beside her, hand itching to hold hers. Honoka had to be the one to seal the deal, smiling as she intertwined their fingers. "I'm fine! Why?"

Umi's fervent blush faded as she frowned in disbelief. "You seemed distracted all throughout practice."

Honoka dismissed her concerns with the wave of her free hand. "It's nothing. I'm just feeling a little nostalgic."

"Nostalgic, huh?" Umi mused, her eyes moving to watch the seconds years goofing off on the other side of the rooftop with a smile. "Perhaps Nozomi did this to you."

Honoka giggled. "Maybe." She couldn't help but watch her friends as well, and something about the vision of the three of them together set light bulbs off above her head. "Umi-chan!" She gasped, clutching her girlfriend's hand and facing her with a wide smile. Umi stammered in response, unable to speak properly out of shock. "We should go to the beach!"

Once Umi had regained her composure, she coughed and said matter-of-factly, "We have too much work to do to afford to mess around-" Honoka's pleading eyes cut her off, and she struggled to hold back a smile, grunting as she did so.

" _Umi-channnn..._ "

"Fine!" Umi interjected, crossing her arms against her chest.

Honoka grinned from ear to ear. "Yay!" She exclaimed, fist pumping the air. "We can go on a romantic holiday together."

"R-romantic h-h-holiday?!"

Honoka nodded. "Yeah! We can go on a long walk on the beach together, go out for ice cream, explore the boardwalk...ooh! And play beach volleyball! And see who can hold their breath the longest and-"

As Honoka's rambles continued, Umi buried her head in her knees, murmuring to herself in a deep voice, "I don't know what I was thinking."

Honoka, noticing her lack of enthusiasm, hesitantly asked, "So you're okay with going?"

If Honoka's comment about the trip being a romantic holiday threw her off, then Umi reasoned she couldn't explain how dumbfounded she was; that was clear as day on her face. "Of course. I suppose a break wouldn't be that bad."

"See? It'll be great!" Honoka clasped her hands together, beaming at a now smiling Umi.

"Perhaps we could have another training camp..." Umi's pure smile sent shivers down Honoka's spine.

. . .

Fortunately, she managed to compromise. Their trip would serve half as a fun summer vacation and half as preparation for their performance at the upcoming summer music festival. "When I say half, I mean half," Umi had said, μ's' old training regimen tucked under her arm, a constant reminder of what Honoka would have to face should she mess up. Not that she minded much. As much as she loathed the idea of swimming and running that much on what was supposed to be a vacation, Umi was too cute, which made everything a lot easier to bear.

The pair arrived in Okinawa rather early in the morning, with Umi insisting that they get a head start to their day. Honoka (and her bank account) disagreed.

"You're the one who wanted to go to Okinawa again," Umi chastised, though her own finances weren't faring much better.

Before doing anything else, the two checked into their hotel, only for Honoka to once again be met by the honeymoon suite. No matter where she went, it almost seemed inevitable. Naturally, she didn't mind, but it was Umi's worst nightmare. She wasted no time rushing back down to the lobby, asking as politely as she could in her frantic state for a different room, only to arrive back at their room and throw herself onto the bed, burying her face in heart shaped pillows.

"It'll be fine," Honoka attempted to reassure her, but all she got in response was a faint murmur of, "How shameless," muffled by the pillows. Honoka chuckled weakly, suggesting instead, "How about we go to the beach?" Umi didn't move. "...To train, of course."

Umi shot up and lunged for her suitcase, searching for her swimsuit. "Let's get going!" And just like that, she was out the door. Honoka smiled as she returned moments later, closing the door behind her. "...I should probably change first."

That being said, Umi rushed for the bathroom, and Honoka sighed as she heard the door lock. "It's just me," she called as she pulled her shirt up over her head, trading it for the adorable peach bikini top she had bought just for the occasion. "What happened to the Sonoda Umi who got over her stage fright to sing in front of crowds of thousands of people?"

"T-This is different!" Umi argued. Honoka didn't make any further attempts, instead completing her outfit and twirling around in front of the mirror while waiting for Umi, who surprisingly exited the bathroom in a bikini herself, though her arms were folded protectively over her chest. Honoka beamed at the sight and rushed to take her by the hand, but not without a flood of compliments, leaving a flushed Umi in her wake.

Eventually they reached the beach, and it didn't take long for Umi to go from a self conscious mess to a drill sergeant. The beach was practically deserted at that hour, leaving the two free to do their training in peace - which was at least a solid two and a half kilometers of running and swimming each, if Umi had had her way with things. Honoka collapsed against the sand, closing her eyes to block out the scorching summer sun. Umi left her side momentarily and returned with a water bottle, which Honoka chugged down in mere seconds. "Can we take a break now?" She whined as she gazed up at Umi, her head almost resting in her lap. Umi smiled and nodded in approval, and Honoka let out a sigh of relief, perfectly content until her stomach growled rather loudly.

"Where are we going for lunch?" Umi asked smugly as Honoka sat up, sticking her tongue out in response. Umi stood and offered a hand to Honoka, olding on longer than she needed to. Honoka accepted the gesture and led the way to a beach side restaurant, and after, their hotel room once more.

Honoka flopped onto the bed, laying on her stomach and leaving little room for Umi to sit. With a sigh, Umi asked, "Couldn't you have changed first?"

"I'm dry!" Honoka objected, rolling over onto her back to face her.

"That's not what I meant," Umi murmured, wrapping her towel tighter around herself. Her grip on the towel tightened as Honoka sat up and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. This time, Umi didn't stammer or push her away; she had gladly accepted her fate. Honoka kissed her again as Umi lured her closer, wrapping her arms around her waist and pulling her into her lap. Honoka couldn't help but smile against her lips, and her smile soon turned infectious, with Umi beaming as well, her embarrassment forgotten, only making Honoka happier. Umi initiated the following kiss, and Honoka halted their back and forth, instead moving to the crook of Umi's neck, pressing kiss after kiss and leaving a squirming, yet laughing, Umi underneath her.

"I didn't know you were ticklish," Honoka said, gazing up at her with a playful smirk.

"Don't you dare-" Umi started, though it was already too late. Honoka's hands roamed to her sides, poking and prodding all around. Umi attempted to fight back, but her laughter was the victor of this little scuffle, leaving Honoka to continue until Umi was out of breath. "You think-" She began, panting. "You're so...funny." Honoka shrugged with a smile. Umi smirked and reached for her waist, beginning her counterattack. Honoka cried out and Umi replied, "How do you like that?"

After a moment, the two collapsed against the bed, Honoka's hand searching for Umi's as the two laughed and laughed and laughed. When they fell silent, Honoka said softly, "I love you, Umi-chan."

"I love you, too."

Honoka released her hand and let out a sigh. "Do we have to work on this song?"

"I told you, half and half," Umi reaffirmed, sitting up and reaching over the bed for her bag, retrieving her notebook. She flipped to the next blank page and pointed it in Honoka's direction, displaying their lack of progress. "The festival is in two weeks. We can't afford to slack off, especially since it's just the two of us."

Dejected, Honoka nodded. "You're right. Do you have any ideas?"

Umi fidgeted beside her, and Honoka took that as a yes. "I-I was thinking, since it's a duet...maybe it could be a...love song?"

"You're obsessed with love songs now, aren't you?" Honoka teased, raising her brows.

"Love songs and summer songs are practically synonyms!" Umi protested, sounding an awful lot like Nico, or Hanayo. "Besides...I wrote about my feelings for you before. Now we can write about them together."

Honoka had to admit that was a rather sweet idea, so naturally she agreed. Umi looked almost _too_ relieved. The two were quite different, after all. Umi was harsh, secretive, and contemplative, while Honoka was unabashedly herself; impulsive, loud and proud with everything she did. Her feelings for Umi had never been a secret - Umi just hadn't realized. Honoka constantly thanked the universe for this miracle the two of them shared, that their feelings were realized, and reciprocated no less. Every small touch, every glance in her direction, every smile, every time she said her name or that she loved her... She had spent years hoping, waiting. Combining their feelings into one song would be interesting, to say the least.

"So, what kind of love song are we writing?" Honoka asked curiously, attempting to peer over Umi's shoulder despite her strict "no reading until a song is complete" policy. "Something like Mogyutto, or maybe Snow halation?"

"I'm not sure," Umi confessed, staring down the blank page with an intensity that could burn holes through it.

"Maybe we should see how the trip plays out, and take our feelings and write them out," Honoka suggested.

Umi blinked at her. "That's a really good idea, actually."

Honoka grinned. "Back to the beach we go!"

Umi reached for her wrist to stop her. "Actually, can we stay here?"

"What, are you tired?"

"Maybe," Umi grumbled in reply.

 _What did I do to deserve her?_ Honoka wondered as she snuggled closer to her. "Wanna watch a movie?" Umi nodded in response. "Promise you won't hide in the corner?"

"Just don't pick a romantic movie!"

She picked a romantic movie.

Miraculously, Umi made it quite a while without averting her eyes, though she did, surprisingly, fall asleep, her head resting on Honoka's shoulder. Honoka didn't dare move, not wanting to face the beast that would be unleashed. She was trapped, but Umi's sleeping face and soft snore made it all worth it. Content, Honoka closed her eyes, but no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't fall asleep. Eventually she gave up, succumbing to her mind and how it was haunted by Nozomi's words.

 _"You're clinging to something from the past. You have happy memories, but something's bothering you."_

A part of her still felt as if she was a burden for Umi. She had weighed herself down with her unresolved conflict, and now she would suffer the consequences. She had to tell Umi, but the last thing she wanted to do was bother her with her personal problems. It was a never ending cycle.

She finally fell asleep at four a.m. sitting straight up to avoid disturbing Umi, who awake just an hour later before the sun was even up, already ready to start the day. Careful not to make a sound, she finally changed out of her swimsuit and into her training clothes before shaking Honoka's shoulder gently. "Rise and shine," she greeted, moving from Honoka to the window, pulling the curtains open. "We've got a busy day ahead of us." Honoka's only response was incomprehensible grumbles as she slumped down, pulling the covers over her head, only for Umi to pull them back off. "Honoka..."

"I didn't sleep," Honoka replied, grip tight on the covers.

"You should have known better," Umi scolded her, hands on her hips. "We can put off the song writing a while longer, but we still have to train, and maybe develop some choreography while we're at it."

Honoka frowned, turning her back to her. "Please just let me sleep a little longer. I couldn't help it."

Umi circled the bed and sat down beside her, pulling the covers back ever so slightly to see her face. Tone light, she said, "You usually have no problems sleeping. Did something happen?" Turning red, she asked, "Was it my fault?"

"No, no!" Honoka replied, managing to sit up. "Don't worry about it. Let's just start practice!"

"Absolutely not. You'll collapse if you try anything today."

Honoka raised her brows. "You just said-"

"I know, but something's not right with you," Umi said. "Get some sleep. I'll see what I can do." With that said, she rose from the bed and headed out the door, leaving Honoka alone in the faint light of the room. With no other choice, she laid back down and closed her eyes, instantly falling asleep after struggling for the whole night. When Umi returned around one, she was still asleep, and Umi awoke her once more.

"How'd it go?" Honoka asked with a yawn, and she kicked the covers off of her as she brought herself to stand.

"I thought of some bits for the choreography, though in the end it'll all depend on what kind of song we write," Umi replied, remaining in the doorway. "I haven't gone swimming yet, if you'd like to join me."

Honoka enthusiastically nodded, and after the two changed (Umi, of course, locking herself in the bathroom once again), she rushed out the door and beat Umi back to the beach by a long shot. Part of her still couldn't believe that Umi had actually let her sleep, but she was grateful, feeling leagues better now, her worries once again forgotten, washed away by the waves. Despite her mood, she was still lagging somewhat behind in her training, with Umi returning to the beach far sooner. Umi had swam back out to meet her, frowning as she did so.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!"

Sure enough, Honoka swam at her side back to shore, greeting the sand with open arms. Knowing what Honoka was going to say, Umi took a seat beside her, running a hand through her hair when no one was looking. She asked once more, "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Why are you so worried?" Honoka asked innocently. "Nothing's wrong."

Umi dropped the subject, instead offering her hand to her. "You must be starving. Let's go get something to eat."

Honoka jumped up at that.

. . .

They returned to the beach once the sun had begun to set. Honoka was stuffed, and thankful that she was out of her bikini. Umi would certainly be scolding her later. They never changed.

Honoka gaped upon seeing the sunset and laid her towel down, taking a seat and watching it slowly fade away, entranced. Umi seated herself beside her, and Honoka could tell she wanted to wrap her arm around her, hold her closer, but her hesitation was clear. Instead, she focused on the setting sun. "It's so beautiful," she breathed.

Umi smiled beside her. "I guess I can expect something about sunsets in the lyrics."

"Maybe," Honoka hummed. When Umi said nothing, her gaze fell to her feet as she said out of nowhere, "I'm sorry."

"What on earth are you apologizing for?"

Honoka hugged her knees to her chest as she continued. "For making you worry about me, and for putting us off schedule, and for being a burden."

"Honoka, I already told you," Umi said sharply. "You're never going to be a burden. It's my job to worry about you, with the things you get yourself into." Their eyes met, and Honoka instantly turned away, leaving Umi to intertwine their fingers in hopes of her facing her once more. Softly, she asked, "How long have you been worrying about this?"

Honoka hesitated. "For a while... It stopped for a while, but I had Nozomi-chan do a tarot reading and I've been a little scared since."

"What did she tell you?"

"That I was avoiding something," Honoka replied. "I think she was talking about how I just went ahead and confessed to you without talking about everything else I felt."

Umi sighed in disbelief, leaning her head on her shoulder as she had the night before. "For being the most impulsive, heart-on-her-sleeve person I know, you sure don't like talking about things that bother you."

Honoka giggled nervously. "Sorry..."

"You know, you were the one who taught me to stop worrying and just live in the moment."

"Guess I need to start following my own advice," Honoka replied meekly. "Where would I be without you, Umi-chan?"

Umi smiled. "I wonder."

Suddenly, Honoka jolted beside her, her shoulder ramming into Umi's jaw, and Umi cried out in shock as Honoka exclaimed, "That's it!"

Clutching her jaw, Umi asked, "What's it?"

"The theme for our song!" Honoka extended her hand to Umi, half as an apology, before leading her back to the hotel, scouring for Umi's notebook. She managed to find it before Umi could stop her, and Umi engaged a losing battle as she attempted to retrieve it.

"What are you writing?" Umi demanded, attempting to reach for the notebook, though Honoka managed to keep it out of reach.

"You'll see!"

. . .

After a long two weeks of blood, sweat, and tears, the song was complete and polished just in time for the festival. Honoka had done the majority of the writing in the beginning, though Umi had done quite a few drafts worth of revisions, wanting to ensure that their first duet, not to mention their first public performance since μ's disbanded, was flawless. With costume oversight by Kotori and choreography checks by a rather busy yet willing Eli, it was finally complete.

Honoka and Umi watched from backstage as Hanayo, Rin, and Maki performed their newest song, the cheers encouraging, proving that support for μ's and all of its members would live on.

"I'm a little worried," Umi had confessed after reading over Honoka's original draft. "This is so unlike anything μ's ever did. What if it's easy to tell that it's about us? How will they feel-"

Honoka cupped Umi's cheeks in her hands. "Stop worrying," she told her before quickly kissing her.

The second years' song came to a close, and Honoka and Rin high-fived as they returned backstage, with Honoka and Umi heading out to the center. Honoka greeted the crowd with a wide smile as she announced, "I'm Kousaka Honoka!"

Umi bowed her head beside her. "And I'm Sonoda Umi."

"We wrote this song just for the festival," Honoka explained. "We hope you enjoy it!"

 _The morning sun is dazzling, if you climb up this hill_  
 _The leaves of the gingko tree waver on the way to school_

 _Your back (If I find it)_  
 _Overtake you and use the chance (I'll)_  
 _To always say good morning_

 _Even though I couldn't confess, I loved you_  
 _Even though we were on the same street as back then_

 _Walking by myself, searching for someone who isn't there_  
 _Embarrassed of my own feelings_  
 _I want to meet you, so my heart is calling out_  
 _Because if you were to be just a memory, I can't stand that_

 _Somehow everyday, even if it was just a single word_  
 _Our conversations were so nostalgic_

 _Recently (I'd like to know)_  
 _How are you spending your days? (After all)_  
 _I heard you have a lover... It's a lie, right?_

 _I can't give up, not with those kind eyes_  
 _I dream of those times and cry as I wake_

 _That's why my feelings now, I have no choice but to convey them_  
 _For the sake of this love which will change the future_  
 _I want to meet you, so my heart is calling out_  
 _I want to try making more memories with the two of us_

 _Walking by myself, searching for someone who isn't there_  
 _Embarrassed of my own feelings_  
 _I want to meet you, so my heart is calling out_  
 _I've decided to muster my courage_  
 _Ah, letting it be only a memory_  
 _Is something I can't stand_

The crowd roared as the song drew to a close. Honoka and Umi stood with their backs to one another, hands outstretched, reaching for the other, and as they turned around their hands met and rose into the air as they bowed. Their eyes met, and Honoka's heart soared.

. . .

"' _I Want It To Be More Than Just Memories?'_ " Umi read off of the now filled page of her notebook in question after Honoka had finished.

Honoka grinned. "Like I said, I don't know where I'd be without you. So, I took those feelings and put it into a song."

Umi continued reading over the lyrics, and near the end she began rubbing her eyes, earning a fond smile from Honoka. Umi set the notebook down and, still sniffling, embraced Honoka tightly. "I never would have expected that," she gasped. "Were you really that scared of that happening?"

Honoka offered a shrug in response as she pulled away. "Kind of, yeah..." With a chuckle, she continued. "It's pretty selfish, huh?"

Umi shook her head. "Promise me you'll talk to me if you feel like that again?"

"Promise," Honoka said with a salute. "And promise you'll do the same for me?"

Umi smiled. "Promise."

. . .

When Honoka had a nightmare about Umi leaving her behind, she texted Umi and almost instantly got a response.

When she found herself sobbing alone in bed thinking about the future and how she might have to leave everyone behind, she called Umi, and the two talked until the sun came up the next day.

Every time she felt even the slightest bit lonely, the slightest bit self-conscious, Umi was always there.

 _That's why my feelings now, I have no choice but to convey them._

She wouldn't hide any longer.

* * *

 **author's note**

The sequel is finally here! And way earlier than Honoka's birthday, nice! I essentially wrote the entire thing over the span of three days so I'm pretty proud. Apologies if there are any typos though... I always seem to have them slip right past me.

I still feel like I could have done a better job addressing the conflict, but at least it wasn't as rushed as in Fairytales. Speaking of Fairytales, I finally sat down and rewatched the anime and noticed quite a few continuity errors with canon, so apologies for that. Also, I apologize if any of the tarot interpretations are inaccurate. I like to think I put in a decent amount of research, but my knowledge of tarot remains rather limited and I don't know anyone who could fact check for me. I wanted to include it though; it's a part of Nozomi's character I feel like we didn't really see a lot of, at least not in-depth, and a lot of my favorite stories seem to involve tarot so I thought, why not? And yes, Omoide Ijou ni Naritakute is a Lily White song, but it seemed the most fitting and it's one of my favorite songs, so again, why not haha

Wow, I really need to learn from Honoka and stop apologizing haha

Anyway! Writing these two is a lot of fun, so I'm considering making a series of one-shots! It won't be updated as often as my other series (at least, if I can stick to my schedule for once), but it's definitely something I want to try out. I'd love to write for the rest of μ's as well, especially post-canon. I don't really have any ideas yet, so if you have anything in particular you want to see, let me know and I'll keep it in mind! If you want future updates for the series, feel free to check my profile. I update it frequently so once there's news, it'll be there.

Thank you so much for reading! Every follow, favorite, and review is greatly appreciated. See you next time!


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